News

Lauf earns Tennessee Industrial Scientist of the Year Award

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 23, 1999 — Dr. Robert Lauf, group leader in the Metals and Ceramics Division of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been named 1999's Tennessee Industrial Scientist of the Year.

Lauf was recognized for having an outstanding record of scientific achievement throughout his 21-year career at ORNL. He holds 30 U.S. patents, several foreign patents and has many additional patents pending. He has won R&D magazine's "R&D-100 Award" four times and has been recognized by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for the successful transfer of several of his technologies to industry.

This is the second year for the award competition, which is intended to recognize a scientist who has worked closely with industry or in an industrial environment, in commercializing technology or in technology initiatives.

The award was presented during the annual Tennessee Academy of Science meeting by H. Lee Martin, representing the State of Tennessee through its Tennessee Technology Development Corporation and Economic and Community Development, and by Dr. Ted Lundy, representing the Tennessee Academy of Science.

Lauf continues to work closely with Lambda Technologies to commercialize Variable Frequency Microwave Heating systems. Lambda was founded on this technology, in which Lauf is a coinventor on six patents and two patents pending.

"Dr. Lauf is not just a creative scientist," said Dr. Everett Bloom, director of ORNL's Metals and Ceramics Division, in his nomination letter for Lauf. "He understands the needs of small and large businesses and can think strategically to guide his inventions toward success in the marketplace. He has helped ORNL to be a credible partner to businesses in our region and, as such, he truly exemplifies the qualities of an industrial scientist."

Lauf earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree and doctorate in metallurgical engineering - all from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He is a resident of Oak Ridge.

ORNL is a DOE multiprogram research facility and is managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation.